Syndicate Member Sues for Share of $1m Lotto Max Win

Philip Tsotos from Ontario in Canada is taking 16 friends to court. They shared a $1 million Lotto Max prize last June but have refused to give any of the cash to syndicate member Tsotos.

Shock discovery

The pizza delivery van driver didn’t find out about the Lotto Max win until November. He read about it on social media while making some free pizza for his friends.“The same guy that's eating my pizza is holding a million-dollar cheque, and that's how I found out,"

“Why wouldn’t they tell me they won?” he continued. “These guys are like family to me. Their dreams came true. Why should they steal mine?”:

The disgruntled player is now suing his friends for $70,000 and other costs. He also wants to be confirmed as the 17^th person to share the Lotto Max win.

Defence lawyer for the Lotto Max winners is David Robbins. He says that Mr Tsotos had not paid to play that Lotto Max draw “so isn’t due any winnings.”

Tsotos says that a credit system had been employed in the syndicate and admits he was behind with his payments. That had happened previously with a debt of nearly $100 once but he always paid in the end and was never left out of a Lotto Max draw.

For a player to be removed from the syndicate, there needs to be communication of that with the organizer. That didn’t happen in this case says Mr Tsotos.

Take the money out of the winnings

He claims that he’d been asked to pay the $30 owed and to make another payment of $10 to remain in the syndicate. He had told the organizer (andanother syndicate member) the payment would be made and even joked to take the money out of their winnings.

The syndicate organizer said light-heartedly that he’d charge a high interest rate if that was the case.

Each of the 16 players have received $62,500 from the Lotto Max win. If a 17^th player was added, their share would only fall by $4,500 per person.

Buy your tickets from Lottery24.